BRIOCHE AUX PRUNEAUX
(brioche with prune filling)
Makes one large
braided loaf
The lovely
yellow-white braids of Brioche aux Pruneaux are wrapped around lengths of soft
prune puree. The result is not only
delicious but it is dramatic when cut – the black prune core contrasting with
the brioche.
Brioche aux Pruneaux
is a different coffee cake-style bread. It
goes well with coffee, tea, or a glass of wine.
I found the brioche
(and its recipe) on a bicycle trip through
chateau near Bracieux.
INGREDIENTS
36 medium prunes,
preferably pitted
1 1/2 pounds Brioche
Dough, chilled (see below)
1 large egg,
beaten, mixed with 1 Tablespoon milk
BAKING
SHEET
1
baking sheet (to fit the oven), greased or Teflon
PREPARATION
Overnight The
day before baking place the prunes in a medium
bowl
and pour boiling water over them. Leave
to
cool
overnight.
When cooled, seed the
prunes if they are not pitted.
Put the prunes through
the medium blade of a grinder,
food
mill, or blender. Reserve the puree.
Rest Remove the dough from the
refrigerator 20 minutes before
20 mins. the braids
are to be shaped to allow it to soften
somewhat.
Shaping Roll the douogh and stretch it with
your fingers into a
30 mins. rectangel 20”
to 28” long and about 10” wide. The
dough
should
be about 1/4” thick. Allow the dough to
relax for
5 minutes before further
shaping or the dough will pull
back
when cut.
The prune filling will
be wrapped in the dough before the
dough
is cut from the larger piece; place a line of prune
filling
(about 3 Tablespoons) across the width of the
dough,
leaving a 1” margin at the bottom and 1/2” on
either
side. Carefully lift the bottom edge
over the
filling
and press into the dough on the other side.
Roll
the
dough so there will be a 1" overlap.
Cut off the
rolled
piece with a knife or pastry cutter.
Pinch the
seam
and ends tightly.
Roll the length of dough
gently back and forth to shape
a
strand. Leave with the seam down while
proceeding with
the
other 2 braids.
When the 3 strands are
completed, lay parallel, with
seams
down. Braid from the center. Turn the braids
around
and finish from the middle. Don’t
tighten the
braids
as you work them. They need freedom when
they
rise. Pinch the ends of the braids together. Place on
the baking sheet.
RISING
Cover with wax paper and leave
at room temperature for 30
30
mins. minutes.
(If the dough has been
made with a new fast-rising years,
20 minutes will be long
enough.)
PREHEAT Preheat the oven to 400° F 20 minutes
before baking.
BAKING Brush the loaf with the egg-milk
glaze.
400°
F
25
mins. Place the brioche in the
oven for about 25 minutes.
Watch carefully during
the last 10 minutes of baking
– if the loaf browns too
rapidly, cover with foil or
brown sack paper. The braid is fragile when hot, so
don’t turn it over to
check for doneness. If the braids
are a deep brown and
strands feel solid under you finger,
the loaf is done.
(If using a convection
oven, reduce heat by 50°.)
FINAL
STEP Allow the braid to cool on the
baking sheet for 15
minutes before
transferring to a metal rack. Handle
with care while warm, as
it is fragile.
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BRIOCHE
DOUGH
Makes
3 pounds.
This
recipe is for the traditional French broiche, with one exception – it does not
begin with a separate starter. Some may
find mixing all of the ingredients together at one time more attractive than
two stages. Plus this method does offer
the opportunity to make it the old-fashioned way – by hand, crashing it down
into the bowl.
INGREDIENTS
5 cups all-purpose
flour (approximately)
1 package dry
yeast
1/2 cup nonfat
dry milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup hot
water (120°-130° F)
1 cup butter,
room temperature (2 sticks)
5 large eggs,
room temperature
BY
HAND Into a large mixing or mixer
bowl pour 2 cups flour,
OR
MIXER the dry ingredients, and hot
water. Beat in the mixer
15
mins. For 2 minutes at medium
speed, or for an equal length
of time with a large
wooden spoon or spatula. Add the
butter and continue
beating for 1 minute.
Add the eggs, one at a
time, and the remaining flour,
1/2 cup at a time,
beating thoroughly with each
addition.
The dough will be soft
and sticky, and it must be
beaten until it is
shiny, elastic, and pulls from your
hands.
KNEADING If by hand, grab the dough in one hand,
steadying the
10-20
mins. bowl with the other, and pull a
large handful of it out
of the bowl, about 14”
aloft, and throw it back – with
considerable force. Continue pulling and slapping back
the dough for about 18
to 20 minutes. Don’t dispair.
It is sticky. It is a mess.
But it will slowly begin
stretch and pull away as
you work it.
A heavy-duty mixer, at
medium speed, can do this in
about 10 minutes. The flat beater is better than a
dough hook for this
kneading.
RISING Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and
put in a warm
place (80° to 85° F)
until the dough has doubled in
volume, about 2 to 3
hours.
(If prepared with a new
fast-rising yeast and at the
recommended higher
temperature, reduce the rising time
by approximately half.)
REFRIGERATION
4
hours or Stir down the dough (and
add other ingredients, such as
overnight cheese, nuts or fruit, if wanted). Place the covered
bowl in the
refrigerator. The rich dough must be
thoroughly chilled
before it can be shaped, 4 hours or
overnight.
Source: Bernard
Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads, 1987.